Board of Trade and Secretaries of State: America and West Indies, Original Correspondence
Item
Country
GB
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
eng
Contact information: postal address
Kew, Richmond TW9 4DU London
Contact information: phone number
0044 020 8876 3444
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
Reference number
CO 5
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (official language of the state)
Board of Trade and Secretaries of State: America and West Indies, Original Correspondence
Language of title
eng
Creator / accumulator
Board of Trade
Secretaries of State
Colonial Office
Date(s)
1606/1822
Language(s)
eng
Extent
1,450 bundles and volumes
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This collection is part of the subdivision of the Colonial Office fonds that comprises correspondence with the colonies, entry books and registers of correspondence relating to the administration of individual colonies, as well as a few records of governments of colonial and mandated territories that were sent to London for various reasons. It comprises the original correspondence and entry books of the Board of Trade and the Secretaries of State, together with the acts, sessional papers and miscellaneous records relating to colonies in North America and the West Indies.
The following are some examples of documents regarding Portuguese Jews living in British Colonial America:
CO 5/1049, no. 8: letter from Governor Lord Cornbury to the Council of Trade and Plantations, regarding cocoa trade involving Joseph Bueno, a Portuguese Jew. New York, June 13, 1705.
CO 5/659, fols. 367-368d: letter from John Brownfield, Register and Naval Officer in Savannah, to Trustees for Georgia, in which he mentions the intention of the Nunes family in Savannah of planting vineyards. They wanted to exchange their swamp lots for such as dry. Isaac Nunes Henriques had tried to drain his swamp lot, but all the family wanted to plant vineyards and had made preparations for it, having vines ready to transplant. June 19, 1737.
CO 5/640, fols. 43-46d: letter from William Stephens, in Savannah, to Trustees for Georgia, in which he mentions, among other matters, the efforts undertaken by Jews of Savannah to cultivate vineyards in the colony. He also mentions a Jew (unnamed) who had translated the contents of a complaint made by some Indians. January 19, 1738.
The following are some examples of documents regarding Portuguese Jews living in British Colonial America:
CO 5/1049, no. 8: letter from Governor Lord Cornbury to the Council of Trade and Plantations, regarding cocoa trade involving Joseph Bueno, a Portuguese Jew. New York, June 13, 1705.
CO 5/659, fols. 367-368d: letter from John Brownfield, Register and Naval Officer in Savannah, to Trustees for Georgia, in which he mentions the intention of the Nunes family in Savannah of planting vineyards. They wanted to exchange their swamp lots for such as dry. Isaac Nunes Henriques had tried to drain his swamp lot, but all the family wanted to plant vineyards and had made preparations for it, having vines ready to transplant. June 19, 1737.
CO 5/640, fols. 43-46d: letter from William Stephens, in Savannah, to Trustees for Georgia, in which he mentions, among other matters, the efforts undertaken by Jews of Savannah to cultivate vineyards in the colony. He also mentions a Jew (unnamed) who had translated the contents of a complaint made by some Indians. January 19, 1738.
Archival history
Until the early 19th century, the papers for each colony were stored loose in roughly chronological order. From then until 1926, they were bound in volumes by the colony in order of registration under various broad divisions: governor (or dispatches), offices (i.e. correspondence with other departments), individuals, etc. In 1926, these volumes gave way to numbered subject files. At first, the numbers allocated to each colony and subject changed each year, but from 1935 to 1951, standard numbers were employed.
As the importance of the subject departments grew, the amount of correspondence relating strictly to any particular country declined. Accordingly, between 1951 and 1953, the Colonial Office reorganised its registry, arranging country correspondence into single classes for each geographical department.
As the importance of the subject departments grew, the amount of correspondence relating strictly to any particular country declined. Accordingly, between 1951 and 1953, the Colonial Office reorganised its registry, arranging country correspondence into single classes for each geographical department.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Colonial Office was established as a separate body headed by a Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1854.
It was preceded by the Board of Trade, or Lords of Trade and Plantations, which was founded in 1696 and continued until 1782. Although from 1675, the secretaries of state were always lords of trade, their involvement in colonial affairs was at first slight and only developed in the 18th century. At first, either secretary might be concerned but, eventually, it became established that the colonies were the responsibility of the secretary of state for the Southern Department. He was the channel of communication between the Crown and the Board of Trade but depended on the board for effective action in many fields of colonial affairs. In 1768, a third secretary of state, the colonial or American secretary, was appointed, and the colonial functions of the southern secretary were transferred to him. From 1769 to 1779, he was also president of the Board of Trade. With the loss of the American colonies, the Board of Trade and colonial secretaryship were abolished by an act of 1782.
Until 1801, colonial affairs were in the hands of the Home Secretary. In 1801, he became Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The restoration of peace in 1815 and the increased demands that the acquisition of new colonies during the war had imposed meant that his colonial responsibilities then became paramount and, by 1822, the office included four Geographical Departments dealing with colonies in different areas of the world.
In 1854, the Colonial Office, headed by a Secretary of State for the Colonies, was established. The division of the office into geographical departments continued, general business being entrusted to the chief clerk. In 1870 a General Department took some of the work of the chief clerk, an Accounts Branch was set up in 1869, and there was a separate Emigration Department from 1878 to 1894. In 1907, a Dominions Division was set up; in 1925, this became the separate Dominions Office, though the offices of Secretary of State for the Colonies and Secretary of State for Dominions Affairs were sometimes held by the same person. The remaining geographical departments were grouped in a Crown Colonies Division. The territories mandated to Britain following World War I were also administered by the Colonial Office. From 1907 to 1925, it was responsible for the work of the Imperial Institute.
From 1930 the number of subject departments increased considerably, a trend which was accentuated during World War II. The granting of independence to growing numbers of colonies in the post-war period and the termination of mandates led to a decrease in the responsibilities of the Colonial Office. Relations with the former colonies became the concern of the Commonwealth Relations Office and other newly created offices. In 1966, the Colonial Office was merged with the Commonwealth Relations Office to form the Commonwealth Office.
It was preceded by the Board of Trade, or Lords of Trade and Plantations, which was founded in 1696 and continued until 1782. Although from 1675, the secretaries of state were always lords of trade, their involvement in colonial affairs was at first slight and only developed in the 18th century. At first, either secretary might be concerned but, eventually, it became established that the colonies were the responsibility of the secretary of state for the Southern Department. He was the channel of communication between the Crown and the Board of Trade but depended on the board for effective action in many fields of colonial affairs. In 1768, a third secretary of state, the colonial or American secretary, was appointed, and the colonial functions of the southern secretary were transferred to him. From 1769 to 1779, he was also president of the Board of Trade. With the loss of the American colonies, the Board of Trade and colonial secretaryship were abolished by an act of 1782.
Until 1801, colonial affairs were in the hands of the Home Secretary. In 1801, he became Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The restoration of peace in 1815 and the increased demands that the acquisition of new colonies during the war had imposed meant that his colonial responsibilities then became paramount and, by 1822, the office included four Geographical Departments dealing with colonies in different areas of the world.
In 1854, the Colonial Office, headed by a Secretary of State for the Colonies, was established. The division of the office into geographical departments continued, general business being entrusted to the chief clerk. In 1870 a General Department took some of the work of the chief clerk, an Accounts Branch was set up in 1869, and there was a separate Emigration Department from 1878 to 1894. In 1907, a Dominions Division was set up; in 1925, this became the separate Dominions Office, though the offices of Secretary of State for the Colonies and Secretary of State for Dominions Affairs were sometimes held by the same person. The remaining geographical departments were grouped in a Crown Colonies Division. The territories mandated to Britain following World War I were also administered by the Colonial Office. From 1907 to 1925, it was responsible for the work of the Imperial Institute.
From 1930 the number of subject departments increased considerably, a trend which was accentuated during World War II. The granting of independence to growing numbers of colonies in the post-war period and the termination of mandates led to a decrease in the responsibilities of the Colonial Office. Relations with the former colonies became the concern of the Commonwealth Relations Office and other newly created offices. In 1966, the Colonial Office was merged with the Commonwealth Relations Office to form the Commonwealth Office.
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
This collection is organised into 22 subseries: 1) Correspondence, Original - Board of Trade; 2) Correspondence, Original - Secretary of State; 3) Entry Books of Letters, Instructions, Commissions, Warrants, etc.; 4) Miscellanea; 5) Carolina (Propriety); 6) Carolina, North; 7) Carolina, South; 8) Connecticut; 9) Florida, East; 10) Florida, West; 11) Georgia; 12) Maryland; 13) Massachusetts; 14) New England; 15) New Hampshire; 16) New Jersey; 17) New York; 18) Pennsylvania; 19) Proprieties; 20) Rhode Island; 21) Vermont; and 22) Virginia.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023